Norwich City's search to provide competition to star striker Teemu Pukki next season is hotting up.

The Canaries want to bring in a forward to ease the goalscoring burden on the Finnish international next season and know this is unlikely to be done on the cheap.

Whilst Norwich will be prudent with their reported £20m transfer budget this summer they know that a fair chunk of this figure will have to be spent on a forward if they want a player who can challenge Pukki for a starting role.

That has led to Strasbourg striker Nuno Da Costa being linked with the Canaries over the weekend with City reportedly in a two-horse race for the 28-year-old with Brighton.

Da Costa, who netted eight times in Ligue 1 last season, can play anywhere across the front line, but was primarily used through the middle by Strasbourg.

Da Costa has two years left on his contract at the Stade de la Meinau and Strasbourg could be willing to cash in on a player they paid just £500K to Valenciennes for two seasons ago.

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Josep Drmic is another option with the Swiss international out of contract at Borussia Moenchengladbach later this month. Whether the 26-year-old could fit into City's wage structure is open to question and sporting director Stuart Webber has said he won't risk the harmony of City's dressing room with bumper pay packets for any new additions. Braga centre forward Paulinho is also reportedly on City's radar according to reports in Portugal although Dinamo Kiev are in pole position.

MORE: Striker signing crucial for CanariesThe Canaries remain interested in bringing Sheffield Wednesday's Jordan Rhodes back to Carrow Road on a permanent deal but so far the two clubs are worlds apart in their valuations.

That may change as the summer progresses especially if no other clubs come in for the 28-year-old and Wednesday are keen to get his reported £40K a week off their books.

That could bring the price down bringing City back into play, especially as it is understood Rhodes is desperate to come back to Norwich this summer.

Of course, the front line is not the only area of the side City are looking to strengthen and reports in Germany once again linked midfielder Marvin Bakalorz with a move to Carrow Road this summer.

The 29-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the month when his contract runs out at Hannover 96, who were relegated from the Bundesliga at the end of last season.

Hannover are trying to negotiate a new deal for their skipper but both Hamburg and Norwich are interested with head coach Daniel Farke reportedly meeting up with former Hannover coach André Breitenreiter to discuss the player's character.